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This should be a National Holiday!!!

Wisc. Gov. Proclaims Today "Snowplow Driver Appreciation Day"
By htrnews.com
12/11/2007
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MANITOWOC, Wisc. — Gov. Jim Doyle has proclaimed today as Snowplow Driver Appreciation Day, reminding motorists of the important role Wisconsin’s 2,000 to 3,000 snowplow drivers play in keeping Wisconsin’s economy open for business even during the coldest, snowiest months of the year.

The proclamation notes that Wisconsin’s economy depends on clear, well-maintained highways, according to a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. It also urges all citizens of Wisconsin to reflect on the valuable service performed by snowplow drivers, to exercise caution whenever encountering snowplows on the highways, and to limit non-essential travel during the worst driving conditions to allow snowplow drivers to clear streets and highways safely and efficiently.

“Wisconsin’s ‘winter warriors’ deserve our most heartfelt thanks and appreciation,” Wisconsin DOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi said in the press release. “They’re frequently on the road before dawn and work well into the night to keep our roads open and commerce flowing. Because they do their jobs, we can do ours.”

Busalacchi offered the following safety tips for driving in wintry conditions:

Staff off roads until they are plowed.

If you have to venture out, slow down, leave plenty of room between vehicles and anticipate stops and turns.

Be prepared for the unexpected. If there’s ice and snow, take it slow.

Give snowplows plenty of room to work. They’re big, and it’s hard to see around them.

Don’t pass a working snowplow — it can throw up a cloud of snow that could cause a whiteout and disorient you.

It’s tough for snowplow drivers to see you so don’t crowd the plow. Make sure you can see the driver’s mirrors so the driver can see you. The law requires vehicles to stay at least 200 feet behind a working snowplow.

There are about 17,000 vehicle crashes in Wisconsin during winter months when roads are covered with ice, snow or slush, according to Busalacchi, and many of them are caused by people driving too fast for conditions. Those crashes, on average, kill nearly 80 people and injure more than 7,000.

I was really enjoying this thread and getting the warm fuzzyies inside until someone had to go and mention the pack just because you are kicking the bears posterior in the standings doesn't mean that i still can't be a die hard bears fan